IBM offered to buy data analytics company Netezza Corp for $1.7 billion, the latest deal to emerge from a recovering tech sector, to expand its technology services business and help clients better analyze market information. Monday’s announcement comes as International Business Machines Corp is shifting its focus from increasingly commoditized hardware to higher-margin software and services, particularly analytics, which help clients analyze market data to plot trends or prevent fraud. The deal values Netezza at $27 per share, a 9.8 percent premium from Friday’s closing price of $24.60. The stock rose 15.2 percent to $28.50 late Monday afternoon, with some analysts saying a rival bidder could emerge considering the recent surge in technology acquisitions. The deal also raised speculation that other data analytics firms such as Teradata Corp could be targeted next. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) plans to expand the use of renewable energy in its stores by installing thin-film solar panels in up to 30 of its locations. This would be first time that Wal-Mart, which already has solar installations in 31 other sites in California and Hawaii, would use thin-film solar technology to generate power. “Until now, all of our solar projects have been with traditional crystalline panels,” a Wal-Mart spokeswoman said in an email statement. The solar systems, which will be installed in up to 30 sites in California and Arizona, will supply up to 20 to 30 percent of the total energy needs for each location, the company said. Wal-Mart has a broad goal to one day use only renewable energy and create zero waste. The retail giant has embarked on a number of green initiatives in the past year, including increasing its use of solar power and announcing plans to roll out an index that will measure the environmental impact of the products it sells in its stores. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Living conditions in the athletes’ village for next month’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi have “shocked” the majority of teams, the head of the multi-sport event’s international governing body said. “Many nations that have already sent their advanced parties to set up within the village have made it abundantly clear that, as of the afternoon of Sept. 20, the Commonwealth Games village is seriously compromised,” Michael Fennell, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said today in a statement. “Significant operational matters remain unaddressed.” While the so-called international zone and main dining area have been praised, deadlines for the completion of the village are constantly being pushed out, Fennell added. High security around the site is “slowing progress and complicating solutions,” he said. Read More »

Image by dsleeter_2000 via Flickr

The four major Atlantic hurricanes that spun toward the Caribbean in the past month were fueled by record warm seas and formed in an unprecedented 20 days. With 10 weeks left in the hurricane season, more may be coming. The storms that were born off west Africa gathered strength by absorbing the ocean’s heat and swelled into Category 4-level hurricanes on the 5-step Saffir-Simpson scale. While none hit land at full speed, each packed winds of at least 131 miles (210 kilometers) an hour, stronger than Katrina’s Category 3 winds when it devastated New Orleans at the end of August in 2005. As Igor churned past Bermuda yesterday and cut power to two-thirds of the colony’s residents, a new storm threatens to form in the east Atlantic. Read More »

Image by najeebkhan2009 via Flickr

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has presented photo evidence of a stray dog jumping on a bed in the Games Village. The CGF now wants all stray dogs to be removed from the Village site. CNN-IBN has access to the details of the meeting between the delegates and the organizers of the Commonwealth Games, where the delegates raised questions about the unfinished projects of the Games Village. The meeting, which took stock of the progress of various unfinished projects, also deliberated on the shortcomings pointed out by Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennell about the Games village, said top officials. Read More »

Share this:

Like this:

Social networking website Facebook said on Sunday it is pushing deeper into the mobile phones sector, but denied an Internet report that it will build its own phone. Privately held Facebook has more than 500 million users worldwide and the company already has applications on a number of mobile phones that tie into its social networking website.But Jaime Schopflin, a spokesman for Facebook, said the privately held company “is not building a phone.” Facebook’s current projects include “deeper integrations with some manufacturers,” he said.”Our view is that almost all experiences would be better if they were social, so integrating deeply into existing platforms and operating systems is a good way to enable this,” Schopflin said in a statement. Read More »

Image via CrunchBase

Shares in Research In Motion (RIM.TO) (RIMM.O) ended almost flat on Friday as robust results were mostly overlooked and analysts stuck to pessimistic views on the BlackBerry maker amid a tough fight for share in the booming smartphone market, particularly in the United States. A string of analysts cut share price targets for RIM, even though the Canadian company hurdled market forecasts for earnings per share, revenue and shipments, in its quarterly results on Thursday and forecast more strong growth in the current quarter. RIM is increasingly dependent on lower-margin emerging markets in Latin America and Asia for sales growth — 52 percent of its revenue came from outside the United States in the last quarter — but India and other countries are also causing headaches with demands for access to encrypted data. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Airbus SAS is in final negotiations with suppliers about a reworked version of its bestselling A320 and is poised to unveil a more fuel-efficient version as early as next month, Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier said. New engines on the A320 would cost 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) to 1.5 billion euros, a fraction of the $10 billion a brand new model could reach in development, Bregier said. Airbus has forged preliminary agreements with two engine makers and is talking to suppliers of nacelles that house the engines, landing gear, and other equipment that would need changing, he said. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Two gunmen fired on a tourist bus near one of the city’s premier tourist attractions Sunday, injuring two foreigners, in a blow to India’s efforts to host the Commonwealth Games in October. The gunmen, described as wearing helmets and raincoats, fired on a bus near the historic Jama Masjid, a mosque in New Delhi’s old city. Jaspal Singh, deputy commissioner of police, said a red alert, which involves heightening security, had been issued across New Delhi and Mumbai after the incident at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. It is difficult to ascertain the motive as of now. Investigation is under way with checks at various points,” Mr. Singh said. “We have launched a manhunt for the shooters and are confident of arresting them soon.” Read More »

Now US Congress buys only ‘Made in America’ goods: After a visa fee hike for professionals and Ohio’s ban on outsourcing, the US House of Representatives has passed two bills stipulating the Congress and the Department of Homeland Security buy only goods made in the US.
Passed on Wednesday, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur‘s Made in America Act mandates Congress to purchase only US-made goods and services, while Larry Kissell’s Berry Amendment Extension Act directs the Department of Homeland Security and all of its agencies to purchase clothing and other products exclusively made in America on a permanent basis. “In passing these bills, we reaffirm that when we make it in America, we create jobs, promote our competitiveness and lead the world economy,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “Democrats will continue to move our nation forward to prosperity for the middle class. Democrats are committed to ‘Making it in America,’ while Republicans are standing with corporations that that ship American jobs overseas,” she said. Read More »

Image via CrunchBase

Alert the antitrust police. Microsoft Corp. is back to doing what it was accused of years ago: taking advantage of its dominant position in personal computers to benefit its Web browser. It’s blatant. And it’s terrific.
Internet Explorer 9, available in beta, or test, form this week, is the best browser Microsoft has ever produced. If that isn’t saying much, this says more: It may turn out to be the best browser for Windows computers that anyone has produced. And that’s saying quite a lot, given the proliferation of top-notch browsers that have eaten into Explorer’s dominance in recent years: Mozilla Corp.’s Firefox, Google Inc.’s Chrome, and even the Windows version of Apple Inc.’s Safari. Read More »

Image via CrunchBase

Oracle Corp. reported profit and revenue that beat analysts’ estimates as sales of database software and Sun Microsystems server computers helped it capitalize on a recovery in information-technology spending. First-quarter earnings excluding acquisition costs and other expenses were 42 cents a share, Redwood City, California- based Oracle said today in a statement. That topped the 37-cent average of projections compiled by Bloomberg. The world’s second-largest software maker is taking advantage of improvements in corporate spending by offering a wide range of software products assembled through acquisitions. Read More »

Image via CrunchBase

Twitter needs to become more decentralized and open, says the company’s former chief engineer, or it will eventually wither and die like other “walled garden” approaches to the Web. In a blog post, Alex Payne says he quit the company at the height of its success earlier this year because he wanted the service to become an open, distributed communications platform, but the startup’s senior executives were more focused on building a business instead. It’s a critical question that many technology companies have faced: open or closed? Open can fuel more growth, but closed can generate more revenue. Read More »

Image by The Latest Slub: via Flickr

Efforts to permanently plug the world’s largest offshore oil spill reached a milestone when BP Plc’s crucial relief well reached its target — the blown-out Macondo well that began spewing oil almost five months ago, a U.S. official said.Now that the relief well has intersected with BP’s well, workers have an opening through which they can pump in mud and cement to kill the Macondo well for good. “The aggregate data available supports the conclusion that the two wells are joined,” retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the top U.S. official overseeing the spill response in the Gulf of Mexico, announced late Thursday in a statement. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Apple Inc. is developing a digital newsstand for publishers that would let them sell magazines and newspapers to consumers for use on Apple devices, said two people familiar with the matter. The newsstand, designed particularly for the iPad, would be similar to Apple’s iBook store for electronic books, said the people, who declined to be identified because the negotiations are private. The newsstand would be separate from Apple’s App Store, where people can buy some publications now, they said. Apple’s effort is aimed at luring more consumers to the iPad and helping publishers sell subscriptions, rather than single issues. The main hang-ups between Apple and publishers including Time Warner Inc., Conde Nast, Hearst Corp. and News Corp. are who controls data about users and how to split subscription revenue, the people said. Pricing for subscriptions also hasn’t been worked out. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Speculation around Michael Schumacher‘s career has been called into question, after it has been suggested he may retire at the end of this season by BBC Sport pundit Eddie Jordan. “I’ve a hunch something fundamental has changed. I believe he is disillusioned and thinking of quitting,” said Jordan. “There are too many indications that now give me the feeling he is reconsidering his commitment to his three-year contract.” Jordan remains convinced that there will be some changes to the Mercedes team for the 2011 season. “There is far too much movement in the Mercedes motorhome involving managers from drivers from other teams. It’s also rumoured that as a result of the lack of performance of the Mercedes car, expectations for next year within the team are not as high as they were at first.” Read More »

Share this:

Like this:

Previously there was N97 and now it is N8. Hmmm.. Did I learn my math correctly or did they change the way numbers are written in the system? Nokia announced its latest series of smart phone line at the on-going Nokia World Event at London. Nokia has been trying very hard last couple of yrs to maintain its hold on the market position but has been losing ground to the BlackBerrys and iPhones. And so the question is would this new release really produce a change in fortunes for Nokia. Doubtful though the compnay seems very optimistic about N8. Priced in the high 300s in the Euro market, unless there is a major advancement in features it would just be a normal Nokia smart phone. Read More »

International Business Machines Corp. is joining five companies, including Citigroup Inc. and AT&T Inc., to create a website that streamlines applications by small businesses seeking to become suppliers to the group. The site will offer one electronic form to be filled out by potential suppliers to contact all six companies, Armonk, New York-

Image via CrunchBase

based IBM and the other five said today in a joint statement. Participants in the program also include Bank of America Corp.,Pfizer Inc. and United Parcel Service Inc. Small businesses often increase sales and employees when they begin supplying large corporations, which could boost the economy, Jonathan Bowles, director of the Center for an Urban Future, said in the statement. Convoluted application processes can inhibit small suppliers, which don’t have a lot of resources or manpower, said Alison Bates Fisher, an event designer at Main Events Catering. Read More »

Like this:

Nokia was in the new last week when it announced its new CEO, Stephen Elop. The announcement was a bit of a surprise to many as Nokia never had a non-Finish CEO. Just to put any speculations to rest, Elop has stated that he is “prepared for the long dark nights and freezing temperatures of Helsinki in winter.” Nokia also feels that Eloy’s “cultural sensitivity” to Nokia’s “Finnish heritage” was among the reasons he was chosen.” Hopefully that is proven to be right. Looking at the track record for Stephen Elop, he has worked with the best of the companies and this would surely help Nokia broaden its markets. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Right to Information Act or better known as RTI. Every country has one and so does India. The only difference is that there are laws that were made to protect the petitioner and this is where India needs to make some serious changes to its current laws. Going by the number of attacks on activists in India it seems like the years of “selective transparency” may well derail the Act from it course. 2005 marked the beginning of a process which has led to various changes in the working of many agencies who now had to be accountable to their activities. But the activists have paid a price and many may still do if there is no change in the laws that protect the petitioner. Read More »

Image by The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas via Flickr

Kim Clijsters was in no mood to relinquish her title and showed no signs of nerves in the finals. Poor Vera Zvonareva had no chance the moment she stepped on the court. Would it have been different if it would have been one of the William sisters or Wozniacki? Venus was swept aside in the semis, Wozniacki was not at her best which leaves out Sarena. May be it would have been a tougher match but then with Clijsters’ form, who knows. It was an extremely one-sided match and honestly did not enjoy it. Was hoping for a 3-set final. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Rising anti-outsourcing sentiment in the US, evident by Ohio State’s ban on outsourcing IT services to foreign lands, is likely to adversely impact the USD 51-billion Indian IT industry, feel analysts.
Ohio’s ban came just weeks after the US government hiked the fee for H-1B and L1 visas, a move that would hurt Indian IT players. The honeymoon is over, now it is time to save the marriage. Read More »

Share this:

Like this:

In an unprecedented move, the ICC has suspended 3 Pakistan cricketers under its anti-corruption code. ‘We have teeth’ is what the ICC seems to tell all cricketing boards. Personally I like this move. Not because I have anything against anyone but for the simple reason that this would teach a lesson to all those who indulge in such activities. No one is above the law and the rules are the same for everyone else. How PCB reacts to this needs to be seen but this would not go well with them. It is not easy to accept that someone from your team was involved. Whether they ban these players for life or go by the suspension term handed over by ICC only time would tell.

Image via Wikipedia

The unfortunate aspect of this is that young players who have just started their careers are involved in this. Amir was one of the most exciting prospects of the game and surely would have been a formidable opponent that batsmen around the world have feared to face. Was it the captain who pushed him in this or some one else only Amir knows. But this is not good for the game and if he is invloved and is banned for life, so be it. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Samsung Electronics Co. and Toshiba Corp. unveiled tablet computers in Berlin yesterday, aiming to take market share from Apple Inc.’s iPad with their lower-priced “me-too” devices. Successful products brings the best from competitors and this announcement proves this. Samsung would be releasing ‘Samsung Galaxy’ and Toshiba the ‘Folio’ sometime next month in Europe.

Any product that is to capture the iPad markets needs to be priced at a very competitive price. The huge jump that Apple has over all other products would be very difficult to match but a good price tag and unique product should do the trick. RIM Ltd late last year had also talked about the RIM tablet. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Food prices have touched a new high in India. With a jump of 1.8% in the week ending Aug 14, the economic growth is getting counter-balanced by the price rises. Essential food articles have seen a steep rise in the last few months and this is not going well with the common man. Should the prices be no reigned in by the govt, the issue may well escalate into an extremely trick one to handle. The monsoon has been good so far and this should give a breather to the policy makers but a good harvest can only be expected after 5 months and that is a long time in the future. In a move to control the prices rise the central bank of India, RBI, has increased its repo rate by one percentage point and borrowing, or reverse repo, rate by 1.25 percentage points so far in 2010. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

Andy Roddick‘s tantrum on Wednesday night – an extended, five-act melodrama – was in its own way as nauseating and ill-tempered as the one performed by Serena Williams a year ago. Roddick picked a long, dumb fight with a lineswoman, when there was really no battle to be fought in the first place. And after too many examples of this in recent years, by too many players, you now have to wonder whether Roddick would have done the same if it were a man who called him on the foot fault. Read More »

Like this:

Too hot to handle, Pakistan Cricket board drops tainted players. 3 players named in the match fixing incidence were dropped from the forth coming one day internationals and 20-20 matches. It is a complete U turn from the previous statements that none would be dropped and would continue to be part of the squad. Salman Butt, Mohd Amir and Mohd Asif now head back home and will cool their heels till anything comes out of the investigations. The statement that the PCB released is that it was the players who decided to voluntarily step away from controversy.

The real reason however could the mounting from the cricketing world especially the players association of England. In a statement released yesterday, the english players were not very comfortable playing along side the named players when the investigations are still on. What this mean to Pakistan Cricket and the players? Does not sound too good. Loss of face, credibility and a sense of suspicion every time they play. Read More »

Image by najeebkhan2009 via Flickr

In a serious blow to the preparation of the Common Wealth Games, the US mission in India put citizens on alert and caution ahead of the start of the games. This does not go well with the already jittery and shaken nations who would be descending for the games in Delhi. Already there are reports of players being weary of coming to India. The US mission however does not mention of any specific threats and just put alert. The success of the games depends on the players that would be attending it and if there are any last minute drop-outs it would be shame. The people of India would definitely want the best to participate in Delhi. It is not always you get to see the best of the world come and participate in one event. Read More »

Image by Helmandblog via Flickr

Afghans are not cheering. Most are worried. They believe the US is on the way out when they should stay and help re-build the nation. And after the speech of President Obama on Iraq, it has added anything but clarity. The people of Afghanistan are placing the hopes in the hands of the US army and why not. The Taliban is not completely wiped out from the country and there is every chance that the moment the US forces move out, the Taliban would try to re-claim control. Read More »

Image via Wikipedia

“The biggest change in the AppleiPod line-up” – Steve Jobs says. Apple is ready to launch its new iPod Touch screen Nano which is said to be 42% lighter. With this new release Apple once again has proved it has and will change the way people think about their apps. I am not a very huge fan of the iPod but I am always fascinated to see the product development by Apple. Read More »